FAQ

There are huge number of stray and unwanted animals already both in Qatar and around the world and by neutering our animals, we are trying to avoid contributing to this problem. You might love your dog or cat but do you want 10 of them if you can’t find the puppies or kittens new homes? There are also many health and behavioral advantages for neutering your animal.

There are a variety of reasons, some of which are completely avoidable.

Surrender is when QAWS has agreed that an animal can be brought to QAWS by the owner or caregiver and handed over to us in person. We know the circumstances of where the animal came from and why it is being surrendered to us.

Some animals are abandoned at QAWS in a box or tied to a gate or found and brought to QAWS; when this happens we don’t know if the animals is a stray or if they have been abandoned by their owners.

The most common reasons for the animals coming to QAWS are that the owners did not realise how much time, emotional and financial commitment a pet requires and no longer want them.

– Some people say they are moving to a new house and are unable to keep their pet.
– Some people might be leaving Qatar and don’t want or cannot afford to take their pet with them.
– Some people no longer want their pet when they have grown up and no longer a “cute little puppy or kitten”
– Some people no longer want their pet if they are sick and the owner doesn’t want to pay for treatment.

We also have a lot of people who will rescue a stray cat, dog, kitten or puppy from the street and want to find it a new home. This may be a single kitten, a pregnant dog or cat about to give birth or a whole litter of kittens and puppies.

Yes, you can call QAWS and we will assist when we can. When you call, please try and have as much information as you can to hand so we can get an idea of the location the animal is in, the size, coat colour, is it friendly/approachable? How long has it been in the area? Any information you can provide is very helpful.

QAWS does not have a vet on site and we are not equipped for medical emergencies.

If you find an animal that is hurt or sick, the best thing you can do is to take it to a vet for immediate medical attention. There are many clinics throughout Doha and they will all assist.

You can also take the animal to the Animal Resources department (a.k.a. the government vet) for free medical treatment which is located on Al Matar Street and the corner of E ring; click here for a location map. Please note that the Animal Resources Department is only open from 7.30 am- 12.30pm Sunday-Thursday.

Please do not touch the kittens/puppies, it may be that the mother cat/dog is nearby and waiting for you to leave. Monitor from a distance and if the mother cat/dog does not return within 6 hours, you can call QAWS and be ready to transport the kittens to the nearest vet.

Only feed once a day or every other day. Street cats must not forget how to scavenge for food at the bins.

Do not leave food lying around, this might upset your neighbours and just attracts more cats.

Be responsible and get them sterilised!!! This can be done at reduced rates by all the vet clinics or through the Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programme that the Animal Resources department offers. Visit them at their premises to speak with them about trapping in your area (please click here for a location map). You can also send an email to petanimalunit@moe.gov.qa or fax a request to 4465 3086 giving your specific location and contact details for the TNR to come and trap cats in a specific location.

Reduce the number of feeds over a period of time so that the cats will start to scavenge for food again and not just depend on you for food.

QAWS strongly advocates for pet owners to do their utmost to keep their pets with them no matter where they move or relocate to. Pets are a members of your family, a lifetime commitment. This is why we tell everyone that they must consider very carefully before deciding to adopt a pet.

If you do need to re-home an animal, please contact QAWS as soon as possible with the animal’s details (name, age, health record, breed etc.) so we can put the animal on the waitlist to come in to QAWS.

QAWS always has a waitlist of animals waiting to come in so it may take some time to find a place at QAWS for your animal.

Do not wait until the last minute to contact QAWS as there may not be a place for them!
If you need any information on taking your pet with you when you leave Qatar, please contact Qatar Pet Relocators on +974 5528 6335 or contact@qatarpetrelocators.com for more information.

No, QAWS does not offer boarding facilities for animals.

Please visit the Contact > Useful Links page of this website for information on boarding facilities in Qatar.